moonbax wrote:"What I hypothesize is that when the QB is dropping back to pass, the pass blocking slider is the one that is used. If passing isn't an option (i.e. any type of turnover return, kick return, run play, or QB passing the line of scrimmage), the run blocking slider is what is used. And I guarantee it affects the whole team." [thank you ycleped]

I have a different hypothesis; its most likely the PLYT (PLaY Tag) value. But essentially, yes, it pretty much works that way.

*The PLYT value controls many AI scripts, including applying player attributes to the game engine, and it can be game breaking by changing the value. I recommend not playing around with it; Pandora's box so-to-speak.

Re: List of Madden 08 Sliders and Settings, and What They Do (Current Best Guesses)

I forgot to mention, I recently did this test and the results seem to support the idea that Defensive Aggression definitely affects live games/slow-sims:

In a Franchise Mode game (rogerjinx ~August roster) I tracked the CPU Jaguars over two Trials, each lasting approximately 30:00 of game time but it depended more on their time of possession. Same opponent (at SEA), same coach sliders, run defense (50%), offensive aggression (53), playbooks, etc. were used in both trials except for Bradley's defensive Aggression value:

Total of 14 nickel or [dime or quarter] sets out of 43 defensive snaps = 33%

Conclusions: A little interesting that the nickel [and dime and quarter] amount went down significantly when Defensive Aggression was decreased. This very well could be a slider that controls the variation of defensive playcalling; more conservative might mean a larger percentage of base sets in situations that would normally call for a nickel set, and more aggressive might end up meaning that more nickel [or dime/quarter] is used in more situations.

Now, I'm pretty sure the sliders control the players stats through the situation (which I think is based on the animation set used by the player), and very few actually control the animations used by the players. I think it goes like this:

QB Accuracy: Alters Throw Accuracy obviously, but it also alters Throw Power, Speed and Acceleration of any player that is using the "Passing animations", AKA QBs, HBs in HB Pass plays and WRs in WR Pass plays. Interestingly enough, increasing this sliders makes some QBs overthrow their targets. Using 4 Pass Lead and Ben Roethlisberger (Cannon Arm QB AKA +90 Throw Power) I've seen him overthrow a few targets, same with a few QBs controlled by the CPU.

Pass Blocking: Alters the Pass Blocking stat and possibly the Strenght stat when the player is using the "Pass Block" animation. Alters the O-Line, TEs and RBs that are pass blocking naturally.

WR Catching: Alters Catching, probably Jumping and possibly Carrying stats while the player is using the "Catching animations", as well as right after the catch. I've noticed that this affects DBs as well, but only if the ball swatted by a defender. I've seen defenders swatting down a pass, just for another one to just pick it up.

RB Ability: Alters Agility, Speed, Acceleration, Strenght (Probably), Break Tackles and Carrying. I'm pretty sure this only affects WRs and RBs, as well as anyone that has the ball, including defenders. This one alters how easy is for the ball carrier to trigger a highlight broken tackle, how likely a fumble is to occur when those happen, and how likely is the ball carrier capable of trggering a "Cover the ball" broken tackle.

Run Blocking: Alters Run Blocking and possibly Strenght whent he player is using the "Run Block" animations. I like to think that there are 2 sets of animations the players use, 1 for Run Block and the other for Pass Block.

Awareness: Alters the defender's Awareness stat, with all that implies. Lower, it is easier to fake out defenders with a juke or spin, defenders take a while to respond to a cut by a WR and so on.

Knockdowns: I think this one affects the likehood of the defender going for the swat instead of the pick.

Interceptions: Alters the defender's Catching stat and the AI's chances of going for the pick instead of swatting dow the ball.

Break Blocks: Pretty sure it alters Strength for any defender that engages on a block, be it pass or run. This alters how easy it is for the defender to break the block, be it by going around the blocker or through him.

Tackling. Alters the Tackling stat. Alters how easy if for the defender to tackle the ball carrier, along with RB Ability.

FG Length: It alters the Kicking Power stat during FGs. I think the CPU uses the highest Kicking Power stat in the team to determine A) How aggressvely they should be when it comes to protecting the endzone and B) The likehood of the offense to go for a longer field goal, which the kicker can do.

FG Accuracy: Alters the Kicking Accuracy stat during FGs. Don't think this affects the CPU playcalling. It does alter the difficulty of the Kick Meter for Keyboard users, as well as the CPU's chances of missing the FG.

Puny Length: It alters the Kicking Power stat during Punts. Just alters the length of the punts.

Punt Accuracy: Alters the Kicking Accuracy stat during Punts. This maybe increases the Insider the 20 punts, as well as Coffin Corner punts.

Pass and Run blocking (sliders and attributes) have next to no effect in-game. I believe they may be used in Sim and Fast Sim.

Awareness likely applies to more CPU players than HUM controlled players. But it definitely does have an effect.

Tackling slider has more of an effect than the actual tackling ratings. Unfortunately. (see the Spoiler Attributes thread if you want, but it's a slippery slope down the rabbit hole)

Catching slider has more of an effect than ratings as well.

Unfortunately, "fixing" things via sliders affects everyone globally and some things can bork other things that actually work better in M08 than they do on next-gen and next-next-gen Madden.

Also, if anyone disagrees with me I have literally zero interest in arguing... not because I think I'm right (I am) but essentially because after doing all the attribute testing and all the PLYT stuff that I still haven't released (and never will, it's literally a Pandora's Box that I've opened twice now) this is a slippery slope that I don't really want to stand on anymore.

I flew too close to the sun and scorched my wings. Don't want to do it again. I'll stay closer to the clouds from now on. Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience.

Pass and Run blocking (sliders and attributes) have next to no effect in-game. I believe they may be used in Sim and Fast Sim.

Awareness likely applies to more CPU players than HUM controlled players. But it definitely does have an effect.

Tackling slider has more of an effect than the actual tackling ratings. Unfortunately. (see the Spoiler Attributes thread if you want, but it's a slippery slope down the rabbit hole)

Catching slider has more of an effect than ratings as well.

Unfortunately, "fixing" things via sliders affects everyone globally and some things can bork other things that actually work better in M08 than they do on next-gen and next-next-gen Madden.

Also, if anyone disagrees with me I have literally zero interest in arguing... not because I think I'm right (I am) but essentially because after doing all the attribute testing and all the PLYT stuff that I still haven't released (and never will, it's literally a Pandora's Box that I've opened twice now) this is a slippery slope that I don't really want to stand on anymore.

I flew too close to the sun and scorched my wings. Don't want to do it again. I'll stay closer to the clouds from now on. Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience.

I read that article, was an interesting read. I actually read some of that in Madden NFL's TV Tropes page, specifically that higher speed players are better than players with low speed but higher other stats. I have this little theory of mine that PBK, RBK, STR and all those others "Useless" Attributes are actually important, but use the Speed stat as a general multiplier so a High SPD, Low PBK would pass block better than a Low SPD, High PBK. Of course, since I have not placed this to a exhaustive test like you did with the other stats (I have to say, very impressive work there), it is just a thought, not even a theory.

Additionally, Tackling, sure thing, has a very high effect on successful/failed tackles. Using 29 Tackling and 65 RB Ability, I've seen RBs automatically dodge would-be tacklers WITHOUT the Highlight Stick, but it is a rare occurrence. Same thing happens when covering the ball, the RB shakes off a tackler. I would actually have to check if it is chance based (Which I would hate if so), or based on tackling stat compared to breaking tackles stat, or speed stat. But for now, I'm assuming is very luck based.

trey31 wrote:Pass Blocking, Run Blocking, Break Block, Tackling, Holding, Pass Interference, Roughing sliders, etc. not only increase or decrease the players ability to do each task or be flagged for them, it also increases or decreases the number of related animations that get triggered. Setting Pass Blocking high for instance triggers far more sliding/skating/suction block animations. These are WAY less prevalent in Madden 08 than the more recent, and even current, Madden games, but it still happens.

This goes for penalty sliders too, such as holding; blockers actually maintain blocking animations longer with it set higher, regardless of whether the code triggers a flag on that specific play or not. Additionally the holding slider doesn't trigger more suction block animations, it only affects the time that blocks are held once initiated, obviously at the expense of increased holding penalties the higher it is set. So in effect this means that one could set Pass and Run Blocking lower to reduce suction block animations, but increase the Holding Slider to initiate a longer block once the blocking animation has already triggered. The result, especially on PS3/360 Madden games, is a much more natural looking pocket and running lanes, with fewer suction animations, but longer block engagement. The byproduct is a higher number of holding penalties which, depending on personal preferences, can either be annoying or far more realistic, depends on how you look at it.

So I was reading this and I found it interesting. Basically, say I set Pass Blocking and Run Blocking at 20 and Holding at 99, then the O-Linemen would engage in a pass block/run block animation for a longer amount of time BUT would have to get closer to another player to trigger it? That's interesing.

I've been trying to make a slider set. Right now, is looking good, other than me thinking that players are being too fast (And lowering the RB Aiblity would cause all sorts of other problems that aren't worth it) and me thinking that WRs are not being as aggressive on the catch as they could be. My set has Offensive Pass Interference on 95, I wonder if lowering it to 50 would increase how aggressively they would go for the ball.

The one I know has very serious effect is Intentional Grounding. At 99, the QBs see a blitz and just dump off the ball, like instantly.

Is the code the game uses for determining the animations and stuff in the exe itself or is it on the .dat files?